WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets are in do-or-die territory, as they face elimination in Game 5 of their best-of-7 Western Conference Second Round series against the Dallas Stars at Canada Life Centre on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).
Trailing 3-1 in the series after losing Games 3 and 4 in Dallas, Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel feels the experience his team has gathered through the early stretch of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will help the Jets stay alive and force a Game 6 back in Dallas on Saturday.
"Now our backs are against the wall and we've got to win our next game," Arniel said Wednesday. "That's all part of this time of the year. … There's a lot of different scenarios. Now we have to step up and be at our best and learn from the lessons that we've had recently."
The Jets, who won the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the most points during the regular season (116, 56-22-4), have faced elimination once before in these playoffs.
In Game 7 of the first round against the St. Louis Blues, the Jets scored twice in the final 1:56 of the third period to tie the game and then won it 4-3 on Adam Lowry's goal in double-overtime.
"We went through it in St. Louis, losing the games down there, Game 4 down there, and coming home big at [Game 5]," Arniel said. "Losing Game 6, coming home here for Game 7. These are all just lessons."
The Jets have yet to win on the road during the postseason (0-5), but they're 5-1 at home, including a 4-0 win in Game 2 against the Stars.
"Maybe this is a little different, because it is elimination games from this point forward," Arniel said. "Those are things for our group, and I often talk about, is [we] can't do anything about what happened last night. There's some things we'll look at, there's some areas we need to improve on, there's some matchups that hopefully we'll get more in our favor being at home, and take advantage of those.
"We got to take care of business here if we want this extended series. We got to win at home. Obviously can't lose our last game, we got to make sure that we take care of business. We got [home ice] for a reason. So anything after tomorrow we'll worry about then, but all our focus is based on what we need to do tomorrow, and that's be the best version of ourselves and go out and win a hockey game."
